Illuminated sign



A. S. LIMPERT.

' ILLUMINATED SIGN.

. APPLICATION FILEDJUNE}; 1919- 1,348,816. Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

ALEXANDER S. LIMPERT, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GOLDEN GLOW SIGN CORPORATION,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

Application filed June 4,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER S. LIM- PERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Signs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

orming a part of this specification.

y invention relates to illuminating signs. It has reference more particularly to that type of sign, shown and described in my copending application for United States Letters Patent Serial Number 268,909, wherein a central source of illumination is provided behind the face plate which carries the character-outlining lenses, together with a series of mirror-reflectors disposed within the sign casing and grouped about the source in such a manner that their reflecting surfaces are exposed to reflect toward said lenses rays of light emanating radially from the source; one object of the present invention being to exteriorly position the source and to construct and arrange the mirror reflecting groups in advance of the face plate and with reference to the character lenses and said source, whereby to adapt the subject matter for use in connection as very effective relacements in the ordinary electric light s gn, or in the manufacture of complete signs, as may be desired. Other objects are to provide a novel means of support for each lens and its cooperating mirror reflector, and to provide asupport of this character whereby each lens and mirror represents a complete unit adapted to be readily assembled and as readily applied exteriorly to the face plate, as for example in the lamp recelving sockets, and which is turnable as a unit about the axis of position the reflector with reference to the source so that its reflecting surface is substantially wholly exposed to radial rays of llght emanating from the source.

These, together with such other objects and advantages as may be hereinafter described, or are incident to my invention, I attain by means of a construction illustrated 1n preferred form in the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a fragmentary portion of the ordinary electric lamp sign;

Figs. 2 and 3 represent similar views illus- Specification of Letters Patent.

the lens whereby to Patented Aug. 3, 1920. 1919. Serial No. 301,711.

trating the application of my invention either as replacements in the ordinary lamp sign, or to a new sign;

ig. 4 'is an enlarged vertical sectional view of Fig. 2 taken along the line 44;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken centrally through Fig. 3, and

Figs. 6 and and perspective views of the lens-reflector unit.

The reference character A denotes the face plate of the sign; B indicates the electric lamps constituting the character outlining elements in Fig. 1 wherein an old type of sign is, shown; and C designates the character outlining lens-reflector units of .my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate certain applications of my units in the sign field, either as replacements for the lamps in the old type of sign, using the face plate already in place, or in the making of new signs containing complete groups of the units. For example in the letter shown in Fig.2, all the lamps B of Fig. 1 have been removed and replaced by the lens-reflector units C with the exception of the central lamp which is retained and which I have indicated by the reference character B. In some instances, as that of the letter in Fig. 3, all the globes B of Fig. 1 have been removed and replaced by the units C. A lamp B, having a light intercepting or dimming cap 8 on its forward portion, is installed centrally of the group of the units. Whether employed as replacements in an old, or for the purpose of constructing a new sign, the relation of the various parts is eventually the same in each case, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In each instance the lamp B constitutes a centrally disposed source of illumination, about which the units are grouped.

are respectively sectional Each unit, as will be'seen, comprises a' character outlining member or lens 9, a light reflecting member or mirror 10, and amounting therefor composed of a support 11 and a threaded base 12 designed to be screwed or otherwise turnably applied to a lamp receivingsocket piece 13 or which latter a plurality,

at intervals, are carried by the face plate whereby a series of similar device, of

these character outlining members 9 are located within the outline of the particular character or letter to be employed.

In the preferred embodiment, each member 9 may be a lens desirably of the bulls eye type and have a series of light refracting zones 17, and when grouped are adapted to produce, with their companion light intensifying reflectors 10, a most effective combination which condenses in the projected beams of the lens nearly all of the light flux emanating radially from the source, while at a remote distance away from the sign the letters composin the sign word are strikingly precise and distinct. The support 11 may be made of any suitable material, whether opaque, transparent or translucen It may be made in tin very readily, as I have here shown it, in which event that portion facing the source is cut away to provide a window 14 so as to provide a clear avenue for the passage of the light rays to the re fleeting surface 18. As will be seen the upper rim 19 of the support is crimped over the base flange of the lens to engage it, though other means of attachment may be employed. For example, I have made a support-of thin glass as a desirable substitute for tin, and cemented the upper rim to the base of the lens.

The inner wall of the support may be furnished with shoulders or abutments designed to position the mirror with reference to the filament of the source and the axis of the lens. The mirror is insertible through the open top of the support, prior to its attachment to the lens, and is inclined at an the plane of the face plate.

angle of substantially 45 with reference to Where an upper abutment, as 15, is employed, the same may be bent down to engage' the mirror after the latter is pressed down past it into place against the lower abutments 16. In the case of a squat form of unit, the angle at which. the mirror is inclined will, of course, be lessened in order that it may properly reflect the image of the filament toward the lens. The latter, in group form, constitute the character outlining means, and, as shown, outlines the character well in advance of the face plate, the support and the mirror occupying an intermediate posi tion. Figs. 2 and 3 indicate diagrammatically in dotted lines the relative relation of the mirrors, and not only in respect to one another but also with regard to the source.

The mirrors, it will be understood, produce a much enlarged image of the source filament and the effect is such, no matter at what angle the sign is viewed, that the lenses severally equal, 1f not exceed, the appearance and brilliance of the more expensive incandescent lamp which it is intended to replace. Furthermore, the lens is so constructed as to becapable of receiving the light at short range, that portion embodying the prismatic zones 17 tending to distribute the light in a large cone-like beam .whose rays of light form the radii of a sphere the center of which is the lens itself. While I have employed the term lens in certain of the claims, it will be understood that its use in this connection is characterized so as to include within its scope such substitutions or equivalent structures as are ordinarily used for the diffusion and distribution of light in this and analogous arts. As a whole the device is eflicient and economical in character, is readily installed either as a unit or in group form, its cost of maintenance is very materially reduced over the old sign, and it presents a very striking and pleasing appearance. Other advantages of the invention will, it is thought, be apparent to those skilled in this art.

I claim:

1. In a sign, the combination of a face plate having on its outer face a source of illumination arranged substantially centrally of the character to be outlined thereupon, 00- operating character outlining lenses and reflectors grouped in pairs about said source, each pair comprising an outer lens and an inner reflector, and means disposed in ad-.

'a lens portion and intermediately thereof with a reflecting mirror positioned to reflect rays of light passing through said support through said lens ortion, said support serving as a housing or said mirror.

3. In a sign, the combination of a face plate having a source of illumination, a series of character outlining lenses provided with supports carried by said plate, and refleeting mirrors for the lenses interposed between the latter and the outer face of said plate, said mirrors and lenses disposed about said source.

4. In an illuminated sign, the combination with a face plate having on its outer face a source of illumination arranged substantially centrally of the character to be outlined, of characterroutlining lenses grouped about said source and each provided with a support adapted to be carried by said plate,

and cooperating reflecting mirrors for said I 6. In an illuminated sign, the combination With a face plate and an incandescent lamp carried on the outer face of said plate, of a reflector-lens unit comprising a support detachably engaging said plate adjacent said lamp and having a portion thereof disposed in advance of the outer face of said plate, and an. outer lens member and an inner refiector element therefor associated together in said advanced portion of the support, said inner reflector element inclined with reference to the axis of said lamp and the plane of said plate.

7 In a sign, the combination with a face plate, of a reflector-lens attachment designed to outline a part of a sign letter on the exterior face of said plate comprising a support carried by said plate and provided with an inner reflector element and an outer lens member positioned in advance of said element, and an incandescent lamp 0 eratively disposed with reference to said reflector element and serving to outline another part of the sign letter, said attachment and said lamp horizontally disposed and said outer lens member constructed to simulate the outer portion of said lamp.

8. An attachment designed for use in an illuminated sign letter comprising, in combination with a face plate associated therewith, a support carried in advance of said plate and having a side portion confronting said source and through Which side portion light rays emanatin from said source are adapted to pass, sai support provided at its forward end with an outlining element constituting a part of said sign letter, and a member for deflecting the light rays passing through said side portion toward said element, said member angularly positioned in said support relative to the plane of said late.

ALE ANDER S. LIMPERT.

and a light source 

